Yummy Pumpkin Lentil Soup, Food for your Soul.

The lenten spring is here again. This an opportunity for us to freshen up our spiritual lives with prayer fasting and almsgiving. We have been weighed down greatly this winter with poor weather, a difficult economy and multiple other burdens. These were brought on but the frigid temperatures that basically forced us to be home bound more than usual.

Nothing tastes better than home made soup.

Highlights

LOS ANGELES, CA - Now spring is arriving on the calendar and lent is here which also
signifies spring. A time of cleansing and airing out of not only our
homes but also our bodies and our spirits. Prayer time brings us closer
to our Lord. Almsgiving brings us closer to our neighbors in need.
Fasting enriches our prayer while cleansing our bodies from all the
toxins in the heavier foods we eat all winter. This meatless soup is
thick and satisfying and amazingly it is very low in fat. It's rich
with vegetables and full of fiber from the lentils and the brown rice.

Begin by preparing the lentil, rice mixture. Slice one onion and mince one clove of garlic. Brown these in a two quart sauce pan over medium heat in one tablespoon of oil. That's all the fat you will find in this recipe! After the onion and garlic is brownAdd one half cup of lentils and one half cup of brown rice. You may use white rice if you prefer a faster cook time. Add two and a half cups of water and a bouillon cube. Increase heat to high to bring to boil then lower heat and cover the pan. Simmer for 40 minutes for brown rice or 20 minutes for white rice.

While the rice and lentils are simmering:

Cut up a medium onion and two large carrots. Bring one cup of chicken broth to boil and cook the onion and the carrots until they are tender. Add one half teaspoon of ginger and one half teaspoon of allspice to vegetables while cooking. When the vegetables are tender, pour them all in the food processor. Puree the mixture. After the vegetables are pureed, add seven ounces of chicken broth, ( the rest of the broth remaining in the 15 ounce can), and one 15 ounce can of pumpkin puree. Mix in the food processor. Return the mixture to the pan. As soon as the rice and lentil mixture is finished, most of the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender, add this to the pumpkin mixture. Stir the rice and lentil mixture into the vegetable puree well.

Pope Francis Prayer Intentions for DECEMBER 2016
Universal: End to Child-Soldiers: That the scandal of child-soldiers may be eliminated the world over.
Evangelization: Europe: That the peoples of Europe may rediscover the beauty, goodness, and truth of the Gospel which gives joy and hope to life.

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